Loaves and Fishes

We are so blessed to have a local food bank where we go once a month for necessities we otherwise could not afford. Today my husband George went along to see what I went through each month to bring him such things as toothpaste, bean soup, or a box of cookies.

Our local food bank is called Loaves and Fishes and run entirely by volunteers. It is for the aged, the poor and the disabled. Their mission is to provide good nutrition to those who most need it, and hopefully, prevent people from having to choose whether they buy their medications or buy food.

Take a look at who they are and what they do with this virtual tour: http://www.loavesandfishesnwok.org/virtual-tour.html

We generally arrive an hour and a half before they open the doors so we have a chance to get in the doors. We go once a month and I have never seen less than 50 people in line on the days I go. They are open every Monday through Friday of the month and have never seen them without a line of waiting people going around the building. It isn’t easy for some of us to stand for over an hour, yet you’d be amazed at the people who do so just to get the food. An 80-year-old woman with a walker…92-year-old gentleman with a cane pulling an oxygen tank behind him.

When Angie and Garry go with me, Garry carts around a few folding chairs so we can sit and wait. It’s always uncomfortable, yet always worth the effort.

It frustrates me to think of so many people in such a small town (we only have 48K people here) that need this food bank. I keep wishing there was a better way to feed people.

Loaves and Fishes also has a small farm that supplies their customers with fresh veggies and herbs..and also gives classes on gardening. It is called Faith Farm and everything is grown by still more volunteers. They often bring seeds or small plants to the food bank for us to grow at home. I have an eggplant from them that is growing like mad out back. It already has a lovely five-inch eggplant that is almost ready to pick and half a dozen baby ones.

Regardless of what a pain in the patootie it is to wait an hour and a half, standing in the sun on a 101 degree day or during a snow storm, I am immensely grateful we have a food bank. Does your town or city have one and do you utilize their services?

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5 thoughts on “Loaves and Fishes”

Nearly every church in the surrounding area has a food bank. A local lady, Diane Toto, has been instrumental in building a food bank warehouse, WE CARE FOOD PANTRY, which in the past year has distributed over 3.2 million pounds of food in my hometown and in surrounding counties. We are blessed. We can be assured that when government programs such as MEALS ON WHEELS and food stamps are abolished by Trump, our great people will take care of those who need help.

In Fairbanks, Alaska we have a community food bank. A number of churches will have food boxes ready for clients to pick up on specific days. This system works because they do not have a long wait. Some people that don’t have transportation, will have volunteers bring them the boxes. I googled easy delicious eggplant recipes and thought this link looked promising. It is titled 17 Eggplant Recipes that Everyone Will Love. http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/08/eggplant-recipes.html I have roasted vegetables in the oven with olive oil and salt and pepper. I have diced eggplant with onions, potatoes, and whatever vegetables I have on hand. Roast it in the oven and stir a few times. Roast at 350 F. If it is hot outside, might want to wait until cooler weather.

thank you so very much for the recipes link..and your suggestion! I’m going to try just roasting them for now. too hot for some that are listed, but at least now I have a variety of things to try! Off to check out your site now! thanks for commenting.

When we lived in Groves I volunteered for The United Board of Missions and we had a food pantry. They got their food from the food bank in Beaumont when supplies ran low, or from food drives we organized. I think it’s a good thing to have for people in dire need, however, your food bank goes a step further to encourage folks to grow their own, thereby reducing the need for repeat trips to the food bank. We also saw to it that the needy got an electric bill paid if they qualified and sometimes help with rent or their house payment. We did a toy drive every Christmas and hosted bridge clubs and fed them lunch three times a year. It was a fabulous place to be involved with and I really miss it and the people I served with.

ours has Faith Farms which not only has gardening classes and seeds, but will provide gardening space for those that have no yard. They also have raised beds for those that are wheelchair bound, and high beds for those that cannot bend over of kneel to plant things. They help people to build their own raised beds by providing labor and materials. I LOVE this town.